‘Gary Hooper wanted to join QPR’ - Redknapp

Gary Hooper with his new Norwich strip. Picture: Canaries.co.uk

The Loftus Road manager was confident of landing the Celtic striker before he joined Norwich City in a £5.5 million deal on Friday.

Redknapp believes QPR took far too long to complete the switch and hopes a lesson has been learned as they approach other targets ahead of the new Championship campaign.

He said: “You can’t hang about. I could write a book about players I have signed and lost over the years. Deals have got to be done quickly and that deal probably dragged on for two-and-a-half months. It was miles too long.

“It should have been done, but that’s how it goes. We learn from that one and move on. We can’t make that same mistake again.

“I believe the boy wanted to come here. I don’t care what anybody says, he was coming to us, but I just think that it seemed to be a bit of a mix-up with the deal. Never mind that’s how it goes.”